standing upon perches of bamboo. The white
spectators could not but admire the native vigor, elegance and
promptitude of their motions as they rose from the water like Tritons,
and, throwing their treasures down in a heap, bounded forward to give
their visitors the conventional signals of friendship. A rapid
bargain was concluded, in which the sylvan booty of the wild men (not
forgetting the prudent exaction of their weapons) was entirely made
over to the custody of the explorers in exchange for a few Birmingham
knives worth fourpence each.

However curious and amicable might be their new relations with the
savages, the party were desirous to put an end to them as soon as
possible. Pepe Garcia announced that the pale chiefs, wishing to
resume their march, were about to separate from them. This decision
appeared to be unpleasant or distressful in their estimation, and
they tried to reverse it by all sorts of arguments. No answer being
volunteered, they shouted to their women to await them, and betook
themselves to walking with the party. One of the three ambassadors, a
graceful rogue of twenty-five, marked all over with rocoa and lote,
so as to earn for himself the nickname of "the Panther," gamboled
and caracoled in front of the procession as if to give it an
entertainment. His two comrades had garroted with their arms the neck
of the chief interpreter: another held Juan of Aragon by the skirt of
his blouse, and regulated his steps by those of the youth. This accord
of barbarism and civilization had in it something decidedly graceful,
and rather pathetic: if ever the language natural to man was found,
the medium in circulation before our sickly machinery of speech came
to be invented, it was in this concert of persuasive action and tender
cooing notes. The main body of the Siriniris marched pellmell along
with the porters, whom this vicinage made exceedingly uncomfortable,
and who were perspiring in great drops.

At the commencement of a wood the whites embraced the occasion to take
formal leave of their new acquaintances. As they endeavored to turn
their backs upon them they were at once surrounded by the whole band,
crying and gesticulating, and opposing their departure with a sort of
determined playfulness.

At the same time a word often repeated, the word _Huatinmio_, began to
enter largely into their conversation, and piqued the curiosity of
the historiographer. Marcoy begged the interpreter to procure him the